Raised from the Dead

Wednesday:	Raised from the Dead
Story Passage:	Luke 24:36-49
Other Passages:	Mark 16:9-11,14, John 20:11-25, Luke 24:13-32, Matthew 28:16-20, 1st Corinthians 15:5-7
Objective:	Jesus rose from the dead.
Memory Verse:	1st John 4:10, In this act is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son, a payment for our sins.
Visuals:	Available

Introduction: Death

What do you do with somebody's body after they die? (Usually you bury it.) That happened to Jesus too. Remember yesterday, we talked about Jesus' being crucified? He died, and where did they put his body? (In a stone tomb.) Why do we bury the body when someone dies, instead of leaving them on a bed, or in a chair? (Because, the body decays.) If we left them on a bed, or in a chair, would they wake up maybe, and get up and walk around? (No.)

Story: Resurrection

What happened to Jesus body, three days after it was sealed in the tomb? (He got up.) Is that what usually happens, three days after you bury someone? (No.) How could Jesus do that? (He is God.)

What did Jesus do, when he got up? [Accept a couple of responses.] Did anyone see him walking around? (Yes: two men travelling, Mary, James, the disciples, and more than 500 others.) Did Jesus do anything with a fish, after he raised from the dead? (Yes.) In Luke 24, it tells about a time Jesus came to the disciples, and they were startled and frightened. They thought they were seeing a ghost, because as far as they knew, Jesus was dead! They didn't expect to see him alive, because dead people don't usually come back to life. But Jesus said, Why are you worried? Why do you doubt that I'm here? Look at my hands and my feet. It's me. Touch me: a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, like I do.

Why did Jesus tell them to look at his hands and feet? (Because, they could see the nail marks, from when he was crucified.) They were amazed, and still couldn't believe he was alive, so he asked, Do you have anything here to eat? They gave him a piece of cooked fish, and he ate it, while they were watching. Then he told them, This is what I told you while I was still with you. I had to suffer and die, and raise again, and you will preach repentance and forgiveness of sins to all nations in my name.

Application: Forgiveness

So why did Jesus have to die, and then be raised? (So that our sins could be forgiven.) Why did someone have to die, for our sins to be forgiven? (Because, there is a penalty for sin.) Because Jesus raised, it proves the whole penalty is paid. Because Jesus is raised, we also can be raised, and can be with God forever some day.

Our memory verse today is 1st John 4:10, In this act is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his son, a payment for our sins.

How was sending God's Son a payment for our sins? (Because, he died, and death is the price for sin. Since he paid, we don't have to.) Does that mean you won't die when you get old? (No.) What does it mean? It's not talking about death like separation from your body, but separation from God. When we die, if we have Jesus as our savior, we are not separated from God, we go to be with God, forever, in heaven. But if you die without Jesus, you are separated from God, forever.

Invitation: Salvation

If you're not sure that you're going to be with God in heaven when you die, if you're not sure that you have Jesus as your savior, and you'd like to be sure, you can stay after the lesson and talk about it with the teacher. We'd love to tell you how to be with Jesus forever.